Marske’s mission is still possible despite draw
NORTH SHIELDS 1 MARSKE UNITED 1
MARSKE United call it their Mission Impossible.
The Seasiders are looking to chase down leaders Morpeth Town to complete an unlikely Northern League championship win.
Their 1-1 draw against North Shields didn’t quite see Carl Jarrett’s side in Cruise control but they remain in the Hunt for the title.
The hosts started brightly and had the first chance of the game on five minutes.
Ben Sampson beat Marske’s offside trap and pulled the ball back for the onrushing Jack Donnison but the full-back could only fire over the bar from just inside the area.
The visitors hit back immediately and Andrew Stephenson forced Robins keeper Sean McCafferty into a save at his near-post.
Marske continues to pressure their hosts and should have taken the lead on 12 minutes.
Some sloppy defensive play allowed Curtis Round to release Danny Earl in on goal and only the alert goalkeeping of McCafferty allowed him to smother the striker’s low drive.
That chance signalled the beginning of a period of sloppy play from both sides, where possession changes hands on a regular basis.
That spell was finally broken ten minutes before half-time when the Robins came close to opening the scoring.
Some intricate approach from Paul Robinson ended with a beat through-ball for Ben Harmison.
The lanky striker beat Seasiders
keeper to the ball and rolled the ball goalwards but the alert Adam Wheatley cleared the ball from the goal-line.
They went one better than that as they got the first goal of the game on 43 minutes.
A foul on Lewis Suddick led to a yellow card for Liam O’Sullivan and a dangerous free-kick on the right-hand side of the Marske area.
Paul Robinson stepped up to take it and the former Whitley Bay midfielder curled a low ball into the area that deceived everyone and nestled inside the far-post.
Their lead lasted until the 10th minute of the second half as the visitors got themselves back on level terms with a well-worked goal.
Round and Liam O’Sullivan combined well down the left and the latter rolled the ball into the path of Glen Butterworth.
The midfielder didn’t have to break his stride and stroked the ball home from the edge of the box to continue his impressive run of goalscoring.
Marske could have gone ahead moments later as substitute Mikey Roberts almost announced his arrival into the game in the most effective way.
The striker found some space inside the area and unleashed a right-foot effort that was spectacularly parried wide by Robins keeper McCafferty.
For all of their dominance the visitors could have fallen behind on 72 minutes. A long ball forward as flicked on by Robins striker Harmison and the released the newly-arrived substitute Dean Holmes in on goal.
The fleet-footed winger took a touch but could only find the side-netting with his low drive.
Nerves seemed to take over in the closing-stages as the Seasiders put their hosts under pressure.
Stephenson’s cross from the left seemed to present Roberts with a chance of snatching a winner for his side.
The former Whitby Town flicked the ball goalwards but McCafferty got a hand on the ball before pounding on the rebound.
Marske pressure, looking for a valu- able winner. It almost came from James Fairley as the winger jinked past Ben Richardson and raced towards the Robins area.
Gary Ormston pressurised Fairley into taking a shot and when he did it was comfortable for McCafferty.
That was the last hurrah for Marske and the points were shared.
Mission Impossible still seems that way, but on this evidence they won’t be giving up their race for a second league title in three years any time soon.